Urban League Leads Father's Day March to Lift Up Black Fathers

A Father’s Day march with a focus on justice was held Sunday in Center City. The march started at the Octavius Catto monument on purpose. Following the Civil War, Catto was one of Philadelphia’s most prominent civil rights activists — rights that this group says they’re continuing to fight for more than a century and a half later.

It was a call to action as about 100 men, women and children participated in the Fathers Fighting For Families march for injustice Sunday morning in Center City.

The group started at the Catto statue outside of City Hall and then marched to Independence Hall. The Urban League of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) organized the event to recognize and honor Black fathers for their courage, perseverance and contributions to the community.

“They have what I call just pure grit,” Andrea Custis, President and CEO of the Urban League of Philadelphia, said. “And they are the leaders, they make things happen in the community and I need everybody to understand, it is not acceptable, it is not just to make them a target.”

National Urban League President Marc Morial was the keynote speaker and urged the crowd to continue the surge of activism that followed the killings of Black fathers George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks by police officers.

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